Brace for musical instruments of the banjo type.



E. E. BARDSLEY.

BRACE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 0F THE BANJO TYPE.

APPLTCATTON FILED JUNE 22, 191s.

1,206,650. Patented Novc 28, 1916.

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EDWARD E. BARDSLEY, OF R-TESTVILLE, NEVI JERSEY.

BRACE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS GF ITTLTE BANJO TYPE.

Application led June 22. 1916.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, EDWARD E. BinosLnY, a citizen of the United States, residing in lllestville, Gloucester county, State of New Jersey, have invented a Brace for Musical instruments of the Banjo Type of Which the following is a specification.

One object of this invention is to provide a device particularly adapted to instruments of the same general class as the banjo, for permanently maintaining the finger board at predetermined distance from the strings, the invention including the provision of adjustable means whereby this distance may be varied in order to obtain the best results.

It is further desired to provide a brace for an instrument of the class noted, so arranged as to strengthen and increase the rigidity of the connection betvveen the rim and the neck as Well as to increase the rigidity of the rim itself and thereby improve the tone of the instrument.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying dravvings, in Which,

Figure l is an elevation, partly in vertical section, illustrating my invention as applied to a mandolin-banjo; Figa 2 is a perspective of the main portion of the brace employed in that form of the invention shown in Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan of a portion of the device shown in Fig. l; Fig. -l is a fragmentary vertical section of an instrumentsirnilar to that shovvn in TEig, l. illnstrating a slightly modified form of the invention; and Fig. 5 is a perspective of the main portion of the brace shown in Fig.

In the above drawings i represents the rim of the instrument which is provided With a membranous head Q, a neck 3, strings 4 and a finger board 5 of the ,vell known construction. The rim as usual consists of an annular wooden structure 6 covered With relatively I,thin sheet metal T and held to the base of the neck 3 by any desired means such as screivs (not shown). ln certain instruments a sta-if or stem 8 extends diametrically across the rim in continuation of the neck, and in applying my invention to an instrument embodying this construction l provide a tapering bar 9 preferably of metal which at one end is provided With downwardly projecting, substantially parallel arms l() extending at right angles to its general line and designed to lit on opposite sides of or Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. lO5,i9"/.

straddle the staff 8 at that end thereof adjacent the neck. This same brace bar 9 also has an arm ll projecting in the opposite direction from the fork formed b v the arms l0, for a distance sutlicient to bril it :more the edge of the rim l. T he opposite end of said bar is provided with ou i-,vardly extending lugs l2 designed for the reception of bolts 13 vfliereby it is connected to a cross piece la n'iounted on the opposite face of the staff S.

Mounted on the base portion of the neck 3 is an angle piece i5 held thereto by screws as shown and having one of its arms projecting above the edge of the rim l immediately adjacent and for the same distance as the arm ll of the brace 9.. there being a bolt 1G Wherebv these tvvo structures are rigidly though adjustably connected.

ln applying my invention to the instrument illustrated, the brace 9 is laid upon the staff S with its arms l0 extending on opposite sides of the latter and abutting upon the adjacent inner surface of the Wooden ring 6. rllhe angle piece l5 having been attached to the base of the neck 3 as shown, the small end of the brace 9 is rigidly though adjustably connected to the staff S by the bolts 13 and the cross bar il as shoivn, and thereafter the bolt 17 is passed through the unthreaded opening in the arm 1l and engaged with the th 1eads in an opening formed in the adjacent arm of the angle piece l5. Said bolt is then set up until ovving to the lever action of the brace 9 upon the rim l, the latter is swung on the neck 3 or is held in any desired position such that the strings a are maintained at the desired distance from the iinger board 5, as may be ascertained by experiment, sucient to determine the position in which the tone of the instrument is most satisfactory.

ln applying the invention to instruments during their manufacturev` the staff 8 may be omitted and the main portion 9a of my brace be extended completely across the rim and through that portion of the same/ in line with and most distant from the neck 3. for which purpose its end is threaded and provided vvith suitable jam nuts 17 and 18, as well as suitable Washers. lts opposite end is substantially identical in form with that of the brace 9, being forked in order that it may have a strong yet light portion for engagement with the inner surface of the rim 6. This modified construction has the Patented Nov. ,28, 15H6. l

advantage of avoiding the necessity for cutting away and therefore weakening the rim in order to allonfv the stad 8 to pass through it into the neck. ln any case the device is adjustable to suit it to instruments of various thickness of rim.

l claim l. rThe combination with a musical instru` ment having a neck, a rim and strings of a brace extending Within said rim and having a projecting arm; a bracket on the neck having an arm projecting adjacent the arm ot' the brace; and means for connecting said I'HS.

2. The combination with a musical instrument having a neck, a rim and strings of a brace extending Within said rim and having a projecting arm; a bracket on the neck having an arm projecting adjacent the arm of the brace; and means for adjustably connecting said arms.

3. rlhe combination with a musical instrument having a neck, a. rim and strings of a brace extending Within said rim and having arms projecting in opposite directions from one end, one of said arms extending beyond the edge of the rim; a bracket on the neck having an arm extending adjacent said latter arm of the brace; and means for connecting said arms of the brace and bracket.

i. T he combination with a musical instrument having a neck, a rim and strings of a brace extending Within said rim and having a fork at one end bearing against the inner surface of the rim; an arm projecting from said brace at the same end thereof as said fork; and means for adjustably connecting said arm to the neck.

5. The combination with a musical instrument having a neck, a rim and strings of a brace extending Within savid rim and having a fork at one end bearing against the inner surface of the rim; an arm projecting from said brace at the same end thereof as said Jfork; means for adjustably connecting said arm to the neck, the same consisting of an angle piece fixed to the neck; and a bolt ext-ending between the arm of said brace and one of the arms of said angle piece.

6. The combination With a musical instrument having a neck, a rim and strings of a staff extending across said rim; a brace also extending Within the rim and forked at one end to engage the latter on either side of the staff; an arm for said brace projecting beyond the edge of the rim; a bracket on the neck having an arm adjacent said arm of the brace; and means for adjustably connecting said arms. Y

EDVARD E. BARDSLEY. Y

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

